Channeler (Base class, sor/wiz variant)

Channeler

I do not wield magic. I am magic!

Some are born with a talent to learn magic, a keen mind able to unravel the secrets of the universe from a series of written runes, and vague instructions. Others have the blood of angels, fiends, dragons, and other beings, developing a natural talent for magic in a few fixed paths. channelers are similar to the latter, but where a sorcerer’s magic is set in a few fixed paths, a channeler’s magic is raw and unrefined.

Adventures: A channeler’s reasons for adventuring can be very similar to those of a sorcerer’s. They share the same unrefined magical talent, which can be refined by pushing it to its limits, and which provokes suspicion from those around them.

Characteristics: A channeler casts spells through pure talent, pure energy. Their magical energies are perhaps even more than those of a sorcerer, but their techniques less efficient the magical force often squandered. While the nature of their power is more similar to a sorcerer’s than a wizard’s the effects are closer to those of a wizard. They are capable of performing almost anything, pulling whatever spell they need at the moment, but their haphazard means of casting uses far more energy far more quickly than a wizard or sorcerer’s meaning that they will run out of power before a wizard does. Furthermore they are fundamentally incapable of specialization meaning that they cannot recoup this difference like a wizard can towards a sorcerer.

Alignment: Channelers have no innate pull towards any alignment, no more than magic itself does. Their tendency towards free form magic could be assumed to push them towards Chaos, but a channeler’s powers are innate and develops regardless of personality, thus they show no definite inclination even there. channelers can be prone to megalomania due to their inherent power, which may create a slight inclination towards Chaos and or evil.

Religion: Channelers tend towards worship of gods of magic, some even seeing themselves as the chosen of such gods. channelers’ magic is naturally developing meaning that they have no induction into religion as part of their training and as such can be found following a range of religions. channelers do have a tendency away from religion due to their own confidence in their own powers.

Background: A channeler is a fluke, a being born with a natural wellspring of magical power. A channeler’s magic does not come from the blood of dragons or outsiders, but from a direct connection and conduit into the force of magic itself. What combination of circumstances result in a channeler is not truly understood, they simply occur. A channeler’s power usually develops in puberty, shaping the rest of their lives, although on occasion it develops earlier or later.

Races: Channelers develop most among races with a greater connection to magic itself. Of the common races they are most common among elves, although they also develop within gnomes and humans with frequency. Dwarves are the least likely to count channelers amongst their numbers, their magical potential being typically the lowest.

Other Classes: A channeler is a font of magical power. Their relationships with other classes are often determined by their natural potential, either due to their magical power or their self-taught nature. Their tendency towards arrogance can push them into competitive relationships, especially with wizards and sorcerers. They can also show a tendency towards disrespecting mundane skills and talent and the arrogance sometimes found in mages towards martial classes.

Role: A channeler fills the same roles as a wizard, their versatile magic allowing them to always have the proper spell on hand.

Notes and Concerns: One I feel the class needs a better name, don’t you agree? Magus was used by Paizo for PF, I believe. Wizard, Mage, and Sorcerer all get used a lot. Theurge has a meaning in D&D, and also a connotation of drawing magic from another being or a higher power. Child of Mana is too long and complicated. Mystic has divine/psionic connotations more than arcane. Sourcerer was considered as a Terry Pratchett reference but is 1) too close to sorcerer, 2) too much of a reference, 3) doesn’t quite fit as they are not a wellspring of new magic into the world. Name suggested by r2d2go and accepted.

Other than that, it’s probably too strong. I gave it bonus feats and class features, primarily past Lv 6, to make it have some reason not Prestige Class out. I cut their spells per day back from a wizard’s due to the greater versatility, and removed specialization, but they still theoretically have more spells at their fingertips than even PF’s arcanist, which is in itself worrisome. So is this a successful experiment? Did I hit a happy medium? Should I have given them d6 hit points and/or 4 + Int skill points since they aren’t an Int based spellcaster?

GAME RULE INFORMATION
channeler's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: A channeler’s magic is based off of a combination of Charisma and Intelligence making these the two most important ability scores for them. Constitution and Dexterity follow due to their role in survivability.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4
Starting Age: As barbarian.
Starting Gold: As sorcerer.

Class Skills
The channeler's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at First Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

CHANNELER

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Summon Familiar	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	-	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Advanced Learning	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Spontaneous Metamagic	4	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Advanced Learning, Reserve Feat	4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	-	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Advanced Learning, Spontaneous Metamagic 2/day	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	-	4	3	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Advanced Learning, Improved Familiar	4	3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Reserve Feat, Spontaneous Metamagic 3/day	4	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-	-
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Advanced Learning, Reservist Mage	4	3	3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-
12th	+6	+4	+4	+8	-	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-
13th	+6	+4	+4	+8	Advanced Learning, Spontaneous Metamagic 4/day	4	3	3	3	3	3	2	-	-	-
14th	+7	+4	+4	+9	-	4	3	3	3	3	3	2	1	-	-
15th	+7	+5	+5	+9	Advanced Learning, Reserve Feat	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	-	-
16th	+8	+5	+5	+10	Spontaneous Metamagic 5/day	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	1	-
17th	+8	+5	+5	+10	Advanced Learning, Hardened Familiar	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	-
18th	+9	+6	+6	+11	-	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	1
19th	+9	+6	+6	+11	Advanced Learning, Spontaneous Metamagic 6/day	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2
20th	+10	+6	+6	+12	Shape Magic	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A channeler is proficient in daggers, clubs, quarterstaffs, darts, light and heavy crossbows, and no armor or shields.

Spellcasting: A channeler casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the Player’s Handbook Sorcerer/Wizard spell list. Like a sorcerer, they can cast any spell they knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a channeler gains access to a new level of spells, they automatically know all the spells for that level given in the Player’s Handbook Sor/Wiz spell list. channelers also have the option of adding to their existing spell list through their advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below).
To cast a spell, a channeler must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a channeler’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + her Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a channeler can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given in the table above. In addition, they receive bonus spells for a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–1 on page 8 of the Player’s Handbook) as it allows them to more efficiently shape and channel their magic.

Summon Familiar: A channeler can obtain a familiar just like a sorcerer can.

Advanced Learning: At 3rd level and every odd level thereafter a channeler learns one spell from any level they can cast from the spell list of any base class with 9th level spells. If the spell appears at different levels on different spell lists then you may choose which level to learn it at.

Spontaneous Metamagic: A channeler is a being of natural magic based upon intuition and talent not training. Beginning at 4th level a channeler may, once per day, apply a metamagic effect to a spell as they cast it without increasing the casting time of the spell. The channeler does not need to possess the relevant metamagic feat; they must still comply with all other rules for metamagic (including the increase to spell level, and what spells it can be applied to, and so forth). Beginning at 7th level a channeler may use this ability an additional time each day, plus an additional time for every 3rd level beyond 7th.

Reserve Feat: A channeler has a great outflowing of magical energy. While their spellcasting is less efficient than a wizard or sorcerer’s, they have a greater amount of raw energy. This energy manifests in the form of certain magical tricks that they can easily perform with only a small output of magical energy. At 5th level and every 5th level thereafter, a channeler gains a single [Reserve] feat (see Complete Mage) as a bonus feat.

Improved Familiar: At 9th level a channeler gains Improved Familiar as a bonus feat. In addition they no longer lose XP when their familiar dies and may call a new familiar after 1 week. Note: This might just be my standard house rule with familiars… ok my standard is you can call them on the New or Full Moon no matter how recently a familiar has died.

Reservist Mage: A channeler’s magical energies are such that they draw more power from Reserve feats than other mages. Beginning at 11th level, a channeler may treat all their spells as one level higher for the purposes of Reserve feats.

Hardened Familiar: A channeler’s familiar is toughened by the channeler’s arcane reservoirs. Beginning at 17th level a channeler’s familiar has 75% of their hit points instead of 50%, and its BAB increases by +1 per 4 channeler levels you possess.

Shape Magic: A channeler is a being of great magical intensity. Beginning at 20th level a channeler may use Wish as a spell-like ability 1/day. A channeler who uses this ability to create an item must pay 1 XP per 5 GP of its market price (rounded up).

Just call them a Mage? Not Magus, just "Mage". Arcanist is already taken up by the way from a class that is basically on the same prinicipal as this (spontaneously casting prepared spells with class features that makes you not want to multiclass out)

This class... I honestly thought was cool at first, but I do honestly feel it is a little gamebreaking

Reserve feats are nice, for instance, but I don't think many people use them much in the first place. But I don't see it as particularly strong option, especially since you have so many spells, even with the dropped casting progressions. You still get up to about 3 spells per level, before factoring Cha bonuses. It'll be one less than wizard, you just trade out 1 spell per level for not having to get a spell book. I'd probably make it more costly to cast spells personally.

Can't speak for familiars, since I rarely have people bring one.

Spontaneous metamagic is nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Almarck

Reserve feats are nice, for instance, but I don't think many people use them much in the first place. But I don't see it as particularly strong option, especially since you have so many spells, even with the dropped casting progressions.

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I think the idea is that to avoid making them useless once they use up their spells (which will happen quickly), they're not useless. I really like that approach, actually :smallbiggrin:

Anyway, I like the class a lot, though I think the exact power balance is a bit off. As noted by Almarck, only 1 less spell is not a huge penalty when you factor in Charisma bonuses. I'd consider lowering them even further (perhaps limiting Chance bonuses to make them less SAD), and maybe buffing the Reserve feats more. Perhaps a 2 or 3 part boost to Reserve strength, instead of just one level? Also, the class is even more vulnerable early compared to most casters, which isn't really a weakness that needs exacerbating. A more curved progression, with more spells to start and less (especially high-level) spells to end could help.

Overall, a great class, and I can't find any big fault with it, but those tweaks to SPD and reserve power might help. Good class! :smalltongue:

Edit: For the name, I agree Mage could work. Something along the lines of Channeler or something could work too, maybe? It seems like that's what the class does - rather than restricted, defined magic, they just make whatever effect they can imagine. Hm... Spellshaper?

For the record, reserve feats only work so long as you're able to cast spells... of the given level of casting. As you get weaker and use up higher tier spell slots, reserve feats get weaker. Well, if what I recall is corect.

Also, one thing I realize. In a strictly core game (that allows experimental homebrew), the spellist limitation is not as steep as envisioned either.

This is very very similar to the Suliin Sorcerer / Thaumaturge as seen here and in the Tome of Awesome. I don't know if you modified the class or thought of this idea on your own, but if it's the former then I recommend you credit the original creators.

I'm not a fan of Advanced Learning, because there are so many spells on the players' list that they will only be using it on dumpster diving for high-impact spells. I would prefer to see more [Reserve] feats, especially since the intent of including those seems to be giving this guy some extra reliability.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Almarck

Just call them a Mage? Not Magus, just "Mage". Arcanist is already taken up by the way from a class that is basically on the same prinicipal as this (spontaneously casting prepared spells with class features that makes you not want to multiclass out)

This class... I honestly thought was cool at first, but I do honestly feel it is a little gamebreaking

Reserve feats are nice, for instance, but I don't think many people use them much in the first place. But I don't see it as particularly strong option, especially since you have so many spells, even with the dropped casting progressions. You still get up to about 3 spells per level, before factoring Cha bonuses. It'll be one less than wizard, you just trade out 1 spell per level for not having to get a spell book. I'd probably make it more costly to cast spells personally.

Can't speak for familiars, since I rarely have people bring one.

Spontaneous metamagic is nice.

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A trip to PFSRD tells me that I confused Magus and Arcanist. The reason I didn't go with Mage is I made a class I called Mage before (it was intended as a lower powered spellcaster retaining versatility but more in line with a Beguiler or Dread Necromancer than a Wizard), that and it's a little too generic.

One reason I went with Reserve feats was, as r2d2go reasoned, to give them some endurance and regularity, another was that as a whole they are typically worse than metamagic feats and potentially even than Scribe Scroll.

I'm afraid to lower their spells per day too much further because it starts just running into problems with not having enough juice to go; although my original conception actually had them getting a slower spell progression and only ending up with 8th level spells at 20th.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by r2d2go

I think the idea is that to avoid making them useless once they use up their spells (which will happen quickly), they're not useless. I really like that approach, actually :smallbiggrin:

Anyway, I like the class a lot, though I think the exact power balance is a bit off. As noted by Almarck, only 1 less spell is not a huge penalty when you factor in Charisma bonuses. I'd consider lowering them even further (perhaps limiting Chance bonuses to make them less SAD), and maybe buffing the Reserve feats more. Perhaps a 2 or 3 part boost to Reserve strength, instead of just one level? Also, the class is even more vulnerable early compared to most casters, which isn't really a weakness that needs exacerbating. A more curved progression, with more spells to start and less (especially high-level) spells to end could help.

Overall, a great class, and I can't find any big fault with it, but those tweaks to SPD and reserve power might help. Good class! :smalltongue:

Edit: For the name, I agree Mage could work. Something along the lines of Channeler or something could work too, maybe? It seems like that's what the class does - rather than restricted, defined magic, they just make whatever effect they can imagine. Hm... Spellshaper?

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The reserve feats are to make you not useless when avoiding using spells because a challenge is beneath the need for them, but same basic principle.

The problem with giving them more spells to start is that then they are a strictly better wizard at early levels. I thought about higher skill and hit points to give them a slight boost mostly at low levels (at high levels you end up needing those less and the impact of 21 hp tends to be less than the impact of 2 at Lv 1 as Con becomes a larger value).

Would making their save DCs be based off of one score and their bonus spells another help? It makes them less SAD which weakens them compared to a wizard, but archivists survive it (Favored Souls not so much, but Favored Souls have the problem of being generally worse than clerics), while also making you choose between spell slots and spell power at high levels (at low levels you'll get +1 spell slot most of the time regardless of choice). Maybe couple it with a HD size increase to make up for their likely lower Constitution?

I'd go with Spellshaper but there's one in the current base class challenge, I do like Channeler though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Almarck

For the record, reserve feats only work so long as you're able to cast spells... of the given level of casting. As you get weaker and use up higher tier spell slots, reserve feats get weaker. Well, if what I recall is corect.

Also, one thing I realize. In a strictly core game (that allows experimental homebrew), the spellist limitation is not as steep as envisioned either.

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What you recall is correct. The reserve feats serve to give you an option to make an impact on combat, albeit a small one, and conserve your spells for when they are needed while discouraging pure nova-ing of high level slots.

And yes, this was never intended for a core only environment. In Core only they would be like unto a god!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Just to Browse

This is very very similar to the Suliin Sorcerer / Thaumaturge as seen here and in the Tome of Awesome. I don't know if you modified the class or thought of this idea on your own, but if it's the former then I recommend you credit the original creators.

I'm not a fan of Advanced Learning, because there are so many spells on the players' list that they will only be using it on dumpster diving for high-impact spells. I would prefer to see more [Reserve] feats, especially since the intent of including those seems to be giving this guy some extra reliability.

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I've never browsed that forum before, the name rings vague bells but they're all related to Minsc and Boo, and I have only ever heard vague references to the Tome of Awesome. Honestly I'm not surprised it's been done before, and would be more surprised if it hadn't been; it's a pretty basic idea.

I gave them Advanced Learning mostly to give them some way to get non-Core spells, and I want to leave them a way to do that, though I am open to suggestions for alternative methods. And yes that is the intent, I'll think about reducing the former and increasing the latter, but I'm away from books at the moment and would want to go over the list again before giving them too many more if only because I haven't actually read over the list in... maybe a year? Maybe more. I always liked the idea and would take them on occasion, but it's been a while since I played a wizard (and as a dread necromancer I have little use for them).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zaydos

Would making their save DCs be based off of one score and their bonus spells another help? It makes them less SAD which weakens them compared to a wizard, but archivists survive it (Favored Souls not so much, but Favored Souls have the problem of being generally worse than clerics), while also making you choose between spell slots and spell power at high levels (at low levels you'll get +1 spell slot most of the time regardless of choice). Maybe couple it with a HD size increase to make up for their likely lower Constitution?

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That would definitely help, though I don't think they need more health. Even the munchkins among us see the need for Constitution - Giving d6 hit dice seems like it'd only encourage 18-18-8-8-8-8 builds :smalltongue:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zaydos

The problem with giving them more spells to start is that then they are a strictly better wizard at early levels. I thought about higher skill and hit points to give them a slight boost mostly at low levels (at high levels you end up needing those less and the impact of 21 hp tends to be less than the impact of 2 at Lv 1 as Con becomes a larger value)

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I think making someone a "strictly better wizard" early game isn't too much of a problem - kind of like how making someone a class that is close to a "strictly better fighter" isn't much of a problem :smalltongue: Wizards tend to be weak early game, and while having different strong areas is good for class differentiation, I don't think it adds to the game to play a nearly-useless character early on - its one of the reasons I favor mid-low level campaigns, or houserule things to even out the tables somewhat. After all, when a class is weak to the point of being not being enjoyable to play, it probably deserves a fix.

Basically, if your class is stronger than Wizard early, but weaker than Wizard late, that's not a bad thing, that's making a more balanced class :smallbiggrin:

Still thinking about d6 hit dice, because Improved Toughness is not that good of a feat and it greatly increases survivability at low levels (plus is a little extra encouragement not to PrC out), but changed casting to Charisma based spell levels and DCs and Intelligence based bonus spells on the basis that Charisma is raw magical power, but Intelligence is the mental finesse to shape spells effectively. I also gave them +1 first level spell per day for levels 1 through 3, and an extra cantrip at 1st (after wards they go back to being slightly behind wizard). This puts them tied with wizards at levels 1 and 2, but unable to specialize (which is a big difference at 1st) and with split stats, but falling off behind again once 2nd level spells open up and wizardly power starts increasing quadratically.

Still contemplating reducing their Advanced Learning and granting more [Reserve] feats, but have not yet been able to check Complete Mage.

And the name is now officially changed.